Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Long Term Care residents and families still waiting

 


The BC Liberals are calling on the NDP government to deliver on their commitment to make sure that every long-term care (LTC) resident in British Columbia be permitted to have at least one essential visitor.

 

“The NDP government told B.C. families with loved ones in long-term care that they would be guaranteed at least one essential visitor. But weeks later, there is still confusion and inconsistency when it comes to the important connections that vulnerable seniors need,” said Shirley Bond, Interim Leader of the Official Opposition.

 

“Advocates and families across the province, including Dr. Bonnie Henry, have spoken about the importance of designated visitors as being critical to LTC residents’ mental and physical health. Why have clear guidelines and directions not been put in place to allow seniors to be supported in the best possible way?”

 

According to BC Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie, only about 20 per cent of LTC residents have designated essential visitors. A survey from Mackenzie’s office found that some LTC residents said they would have preferred COVID-19 to the isolation they experienced not being able to have visitors, demonstrating the profound impact isolation has had on seniors’ mental health and emotional well-being.

 

“Many families have struggled throughout the pandemic to obtain essential visitor status and have been unable to visit and care for their loved ones. This government vowed to do better and guaranteed that every resident in long-term care would have one essential visitor,” added Bond.

 

“There can’t be a patchwork approach, all seniors deserve the same levels of care and support from loved ones. That’s why we continue to call on the Minister of Health to implement this change immediately to ensure the mental well-being of our vulnerable seniors as we continue to fight COVID-19.”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NDP Government Blames Everyone but Themselves

The federal government has announced new measures to support British Columbia's forestry sector, including $65 million in funding for projects across the province. While any support is welcome, it falls far short of the level of assistance other provinces have secured for key industries. Conservative Forests Critic Ward Stamer says the NDP government needs to take responsibility for its mismanagement of B.C.’s forest industry instead of trying to pass on the blame. Despite promising to create more jobs in the forest sector, the NDP government has overseen the loss of thousands of forestry jobs and 21 mill closures which have devastated communities. “If Premier Eby spent more time addressing the regulatory issues impacting the forestry sector than he did complaining about the federal government, we would not be in the position we are now,” said Stamer. “And instead of trying to place the blame for mill closures on Donald Trump, Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar should t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tourists Rack Up $200M in Unpaid Health Bills While BC Patients Wait Years for Care

While British Columbians wait years for basic medical care, the NDP government has allowed non-residents to rack up $200.6 million in unpaid health bills since 2020-2021. New research from SecondStreet.org, obtained through a freedom of information request, revealed that people from outside Canada are coming to BC, receiving health services, and leaving without paying their bills.  The losses span every health region in the province. "British Columbians are not guaranteed timely access to healthcare, be it treatment or diagnostics, and this situation continues to deteriorate under the NDP," said Anna Kindy, MLA for North Island and Critic for Health. "Taxpayers are footing the bill for tourists' health treatments to the tune of over $200 million, enough to cover over 21,000 hip replacements in this province while British Columbians wait months to years for that surgery.” The research found BC has the worst record of any province in Canada examined so far. Under a dec...
Post a Comment
Read more

NDP Finance Minister Given "F" on Report Card by Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops Centres and Official Opposition Finance Critic, released the following statement in response to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation's 2026 Finance Minister Report Card, which ranked BC Finance Minister Brenda Bailey dead last among provincial finance ministers in Canada with an overall grade of "F":  "British Columbians didn't need a report card to know things are headed in the wrong direction. They see it every time they pay their bills, try to buy a home, or watch another government deficit pile up. But now an independent national organization has confirmed that NDP Brenda Bailey is the worst-rated finance minister in Canada. "After nearly a decade of decline under this NDP government, British Columbia has become a province where people pay more, government borrows more, and families get less in return. We have some of the highest debt in the country, repeated credit downgrades, and no credible plan to get our finances back on...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more